Children's Home run by Eventus Achieves Limited in Wirral

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575842 1

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Eventus Achieves Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns the home, which provides care for up to four children. The provider states in its statement of purpose that care is provided for children with learning difficulties and disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned from her post in May 2021.

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This monitoring visit

We last visited this setting on 29 and 30 July 2021 when a full inspection took place due to escalating concerns about children’s safety. Inspectors identified a number of significant shortfalls in both safeguarding practice and procedures in the home, and poor leadership and management. Inspectors found that managers and staff do not always act to protect children from harm and not all child protection concerns are appropriately reported and investigated. This lack of understanding of safeguarding roles and responsibilities compromises children’s safety and welfare. Three compliance notices were issued under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard), regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) and regulation 23 (medicines).

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This monitoring visit

The focus of this visit was to monitor and review the actions taken by the provider to meet the three compliance notices that were issued following the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The new manager has started to work in the home on a full-time basis. She has not yet submitted a full application to register. The manager has spent time reviewing all the documentation in the home. However, restrictions caused by a recent outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus) have limited the provider’s ability to address the failings identified in their own action plan. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575842 2 Safety of children is not a priority in the home. Staff told inspectors that children are not safe during their short-break stay or when they live in the home. Staff told inspectors that inconsistencies in staff practice have negatively affected their ability to keep children safe. Furthermore, professional boundaries between parents and staff are blurred. This is despite advice and guidance from the manager, which has not been followed. This has led to further safeguarding concerns.

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This monitoring visit

Children continue to experience inconsistencies in their care because of frequent changes of staff. This continues to cause instability, in relation to the staff and care practices, which means that children will often be unsure about which staff members will be caring for them. The manager is aware of the staffing shortages and has spent time recruiting new staff. However, they have not yet commenced their roles in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Some staff lack the skills, knowledge or experience to understand the risks that children can face and do not have the skills to support them effectively. For example, staff who are new to the home and do not have training in stoma care or medication, lead the shift alongside an agency worker. On one occasion, the shift leader contacted the manager by telephone to request support to administer medication. The manager did talk the staff member through the medication process over the phone. However, this is not safe care and does not ensure that the staff responsible for children have the skills and experience to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

Risk assessments and risk management plans have been updated. However, they still do not include the current risk factors for all children. In addition, risk management plans remain incomplete as they do not include appropriate strategies for staff to follow to keep children safe. For example, despite a child having a history of making allegations, an appropriate strategy to minimise this risk has not been considered, and staff are unclear on the actions that they are required to take. This fails to safeguard anyone who is involved in incidents.

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This monitoring visit

Recording in the home remains poor. Despite the manager updating and reviewing documentation, staff have not consistently used the information in documentation to keep children safe. Records remain unclear and fail to provide an accurate account of what has occurred, or which staff are available to support children, for example which staff member is on shift supporting the child.

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This monitoring visit

The registered provider has not ensured that, during the recruitment process, full and satisfactory information is obtained for staff before their employment in the home. This includes not verifying references or having sight of safe recruitment processes for agency workers. Since the full inspection, staff have started working at the home without references being obtained or verified. This means that the management team cannot be assured that children are suitably and safely cared for.

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This monitoring visit

Since the home opened, there have been several incidents of physical intervention. The recordings of these interventions are poor. Although the manager has reviewed Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575842 3 documentation and implemented new systems, these are still not consistent and do not include a record of the effectiveness of the intervention used. Additionally, when the manager is involved in physical interventions, the record has not been reviewed or shared with the responsible individual for independent oversight. This means assurance cannot be given that procedures were followed correctly or in a timely manner.

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This monitoring visit

The new manager had revised the medication procedures in the home and implemented new documentation. However, staff have failed to follow the process in place. As a result, records are contradictory and confusing as they are not completed in full and, on occasions, it remains unclear if medication has been given or not.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has failed to ensure that there was an accurate roster in place that records the planned and the actual hours worked by staff. As a result, these documents cannot be relied on to identify which staff have worked at the home. This means that the provider, professionals and the regulator cannot be assured that children are suitably and safely cared for.

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This monitoring visit

The provider was unable to demonstrate that sufficient action had been taken to meet the notices. As a result, three further compliance notices have been issued under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard); regulation 13 (the leadership and management) and regulation 23 (medicines).

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This monitoring visit

The requirements set at the last inspection were not considered at this monitoring visit. They will be review at the next full inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 29/07/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575842 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that managers and staff understand that children who have non-verbal communication can communicate their wishes and feelings. 12 September

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Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b)) 31 October 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575842 5 In particular, staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them, including the steps that staff should take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis.

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Requirement Due date

*The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should develop an effective system for monitoring the quality of recruitment checks, children’s records, risk assessments and plans. Documents must be signed and dated by the author and staff should also sign to demonstrate they have read and understood the content. 31 October 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 12 September

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. 31 October 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575842 6 (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that staff follow good practice in relation to compiling medication administration records that include the time that medication is administered, and that there is an effective system for monitoring and auditing the arrangements for managing and recording medication.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 12 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d)) 31 October 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 12 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and 31 October 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575842 7 the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 12 September

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to staff rosters and admission and discharge information. 12 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry). (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(d)(i)(ii)) 12 September

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575842 8

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Inspector

Michelle Edge, Social Care Inspection Manager Elaine Allison, Social Care Inspection Manager Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2575842 9 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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